MacHeist

Here is an interesting article regarding free/super deals on shareware from John Gruber (Daring Fireball). For me his analysis isn't true because I fully intend to purchase future versions of any of the software I get here that I use. I do however worry that it might hold true overall.

I'm pretty big on supporting both freeware (donations) and shareware (paying for it and word of mouth) I use so I'm hoping this isn't as much of a hurt to some developers as he makes out. Once I've evaluated the versions of things I've gotten here enough I'm almost positive I'll find a few that are worth coughing up some dough for upgrades. I don't at all consider myself a cheapskate (as he put it), just a careful shopper.

It doesn't exactly fit what you're saying but definitely related. I am holding off on purchasing a couple things due to MH but I don't consider that a bad thing. If I find something I like better through this or just something I like enough to keep using then it might just be a different dev that gets my money in the future instead of the one that would have gotten it now. It's helping me find a couple/few things I may have never come across as well.

It would be interesting to hear what other people around here think of his article. How many of you think you'll end up supporting any of the apps you get here for free in the future?

It's not the free stuff I'm disputing though. As much as those are full versions, they're still limited. It's the full stuff we're getting in the bundle that puts me off.

Rory Prior of ThinkMac Software recently posted this: http://www.thinkmac.co.uk/blog/2006/11/ … -your.html

Macheist and My Dream App have gotten me thinking more about buying shareware. Before I never did, now I feel like dropping 30 bucks or so for a program that works very well is worth it.

So there ya go!

skimpson, you know what's interesting about your post? Two of the apps you listed haven't been involved in any promotions at all. While I admit these things get me to buy more shareware, I'm actually more likely to buy from companies who haven't discounted their software.

MacHeist hurts Shareware?

Doesn't hurt me.

Cassiel wrote:

And just I can't understand people pirating software. It's like stealing a car or a anything else.

More like copying a car, but hey, details

You should also remember that not everyone has a credit card (I don't have one, and very few people around here have one.) So every time you do want to pay for an app, you have to go ask someone that does have one (I know 2 people personally that have access to a credit card. 1 has a company CC, other one his mom has a CC) You can ask em once, ask em twice, but they both have to justify every CC use to someone else.

Then we have paypal. Yes, paypal is nice, but again you need a credit card! (can't money transfer to paypal around here...) So now I have to put a larger amount of money on my paypal, to anticipate future purchases.

All well and done, and then the next app you would be willing to pay for doesn't support paypal...

And then you have parts of the world where money isn't so easily available. Where $25 is a LOT of money.

And then there are cheapskates, and downright pirates. I don't deny their existence.

I personally? I'm a mix of all 3. I pay for some apps, don't want to pay for others. And sometimes, it's just easier and faster to find a hacked serial then it is to get one of my CC friends, and ask them if they can buy me yet another app off the internet.

Personally, I'd like to see something like iTMS. A unified front for selling software. Maybe with something like gift certificates? That, or see every single one of the independent software developers support paypal, and paypal finally allowing money transfer in belgium, damnit!

Who cares? The developers agreed to have the apps discounted or given away.  They wanted this.

a lot of times this type of promotion (giving away free limited upgrade versions of software) is timed right around the start of a new product cycle so in 3-6 months they may release a new version .. its a trend I noticed on a few maczot apps that went for free

See, I'm not sure how much over-generalization there is. It does apply for me. As I see it there are four types of developers that sell online:

Pratically Retail: Like OmniGroup or DEVON technologies.
Top Tier Shareware: Like Panic.com or Textmate.
Mid Tier Shareware and Bottom Tier: I don't want to offend anyone so I won't list these.

For me, if someone like OmniGroup or DEVON offers a heavy discount, I consider myself very, very lucky. I don't think less of the company and it'll make me more likely to buy. A small discount is the same. If, however, they give away a product, while I still consider them practically retail, I no longer will consider that product practically retail. It's now the black sheep of their product line. If they give it away, why should I want it?

For top tier shareware, my response is pretty much the same. However, if they give away a product, it often lowers my belief in them. Consider Disco. Prior to the Maczot promo, I considered the developer a top tier one. After, I mentally demoted it. If they don't have enough faith for the product to sell, I lose faith in them.

For midrange and bottom tier, if they give something away, I just write it off. I might use it, but even if I do, I will never be able to convince myself to pay full price for it. Similar for heavy discounts. So, while they may gain exposure, it drastically limits what I consider their product to be worth.

Essentially what it comes down to, is the first price I see for an application, I consider to be 'the' price' for an application. If the first price is a give-away or a MacZOT, it would take a lot for me to ever consider it worth its full price.

The only time I find that giveaways don't diminish what I think about a product is when they give away the current version right before a major upgrade, such as when iClip 3 was given away. Other than that, as awful as it sounds, I'd probably look for software that didn't participate next time I'm looking to buy shareware. It my not be fair, but it's my natural reaction.

Last edited by Wasgo (November 21, 2006 7:50 pm)

Personally, things like MacHeist and MacZot make me want to buy more shareware. I have bought Disco through MacZot (I feel bad about that... I got a license to AppZapper for free, then I got two licenses for Disco for free PLUS a LaCie LightScribe drive. I am probably making Austin Sarner lose money ) I have also purchased BluePhoneElite, DoubleTake, and A-Dock this summer. A bit of a shareware binge.

-Chris

I have a LightScribe capable drive on a PC I don't use anymore,  it is a neat toy, but increases burn time dramatically  and the novelty wears off rather quickly  but YMMV